The Fall
by StormyWriter55
Summary: It's always the simple missions that end the worst. That's how Sara currently felt as she stood on top of the mountain, facing Ra's al Ghul, fighting for the freedom of her team and the women she loves.
1. The Fight

_It's always the simple missions that end the worst. Somehow, some way, the easiest missions of them all end the worse. That's how Sara felt currently as she stood on top of the mountain, facing Ra's al Ghul, fighting for the freedom of her team and the women she loves. _

The anachronism was simple enough. Somehow Michael Jackson had ended up at the doorsteps of Nanda Parbat. Somehow, he had been accepted into the league, thinking it was an elite dance class. Somehow, he had failed the training and been killed.

The team and Ava had geared up to break into Nanda Parbat and rescue Michael Jackson and they finally had a solid plan for once. Everything was going to plan, until suddenly it wasn't.

The first time the team had come to Nanda Parbat, Ra's had learnt his lesson on not being able to handle the Legends. He was a smart man, however, and knew that somewhere along the line that they may come back to his home. He was right, and that's how the Legends found themselves locked in cages once again in the basement.

Ra's had located weaknesses in all of the Legends and they were quickly taken down, no chance at escape. An hour after being locked in a cell together, the Demon approached the Legends.

"Hmm, I simply cannot believe you fools would come back here," he said, clearly amused. "And you brought some new friends, I see," he gestured to Ava, Zari and Charlie who were all chained to the wall, along with Mick, Nate and Ray.

Sara, however, was chained to the ceiling, her feet barely scraping against the ground. Ra's knew how his members were trained, and she had completed his training twice, so he knew what she was capable of.

"Ra's al Ghul," Sara said in Arabic so her team couldn't understand her. "Let them go, keep me. After all, I'm one of the best members you've ever had," she offered the man, hoping against all odds he would agree.

"What's she saying?" Ava asked Zari, hoping that she could understand.

"I'm sorry Ava, I have no clue," she said sympathetically.

"Once I get out of these chains I'm going to roast all these pigs to bacon," Mick grunted as he pulled against his chains. Not even Nate could break out in his steel form, the chains were too thick and strong.

"No need to speak in Arabic, Ta-er al-Sahfer. I will not accept your offer," Ra's gestured for the cell to be unlocked and walked up to Sara. "I know of what you are all capable of, Time Travellers," he spat out. "I warned you years ago not to return, or I shall take your life, and I intend on keeping that promise."

Ava was beginning to panic as Ra's turned to one of his guards and unsheathed a sword, before walking up to her girlfriend.

"Wait!" Sara said in a last effort to save her and her crew. "I challenge you to single combat." The sword dropped from her heart, and Ra's returned the weapon to the guard.

"Are you sure that is what you wish, Ta-er al-Sahfer? I will show no mercy to you," he said to her face, his hands tucked calmly behind his back. Ra's al Ghul wasn't the least bit worried of Sara as he had been challenged to single combat many times before.

Sara, for her part, knew that this was the only way for her team to live. By challenging Ra's to single combat, which he cannot refuse, she knew that he would have to accept her terms should she die, and her terms will be that her team be released. In the unlikely outcome that she wins, she will ask for their freedom too, so it's a win-win situation.

For her team, anyways.

"Sara what are you doing!" Ava asked. She knew just who Ra's al Ghul was but she was unaware of just how good he was.

"I understand, Ra's," she told him, eyes never faltering. "My terms will be set now. Should I die, my team will be set free. Should I win, my team will be set free. That's it, those are my terms," she finished.

"Sara no!"

"Don't do this!"

"There's got to be another way!"

She ignored all the pleas from her team as Ra's contemplated the deal.

"Okay, I accept your terms. My terms are the same as always. When I win, I shall take your life," he said before turning around and leaving the cell, the guards moving to free Sara and her team. They had to stay in their shackles for the fight, but they were at least allowed to attend.

"What do you think you're doing Sara?" Came Ava's worried voice as they were escorted down the hall. "You can't fight him! It's against all regulat- you know what, I don't even _care _about the regulations right now. You can't fight him, I've heard of what he did to Oliver Queen, and I don't want the same thing to happen to you!"

Sara sighed sadly. She knew her girlfriend was right. There was a very slim chance that she was going to win and she knew it, but her team didn't.

"Ava this is the _only _way you guys are getting out of here alive, if I do happen to win-"

"No!" Ava interrupted. "There's gotta be another way. Maybe I could figh-"

It was Sara's turn to interrupt now, as she put her finger to Ava's lips.

"Ava, listen to me. No matter what happens, know that I love you okay? There is no other way, this is it, and you aren't fighting against him."

"But he's never seen me fight so I would have the advant-"

"Ava, no! I'm not letting you fight Ra's al Ghul, end of discussion. Besides, he probably wouldn't accept your offer," she paused in the hallway. "I request my time to say goodbye right now!" She shouted to their guards. They nodded their heads and stopped moving, watching all the prisoners still, but allowing the goodbye time.

"Sara this is crazy!" Zari whispered as they all huddled around as a team. "I agree with Ava, you can't fight this guy. He's a childs worst nightmare in the future, I've heard stuff about him."

"I'm inclined to agree with her on this one, blondie," Mick grunted. "The last time we were here I saw him cut down eight people to cure his bloodlust."

"Logically speaking off of what I heard from Felicity and right now, I have to say, the odds don't look good," Ray stated nervously. Sara had had enough.

"So what do you suggest I do? Request we all go back to the cell so they can quickly and effortlessly kill _all _of us? No, at least this way if I do die, or win, you can all go free," she said angrily. Do they not understand that they didn't have a choice here? And no one else was able to fight Ra's except Ava, and Sara wouldn't let that happen, not even over her dead body, which might be sooner than she thinks.

Everyone was silent, knowing that their Captain was right but not liking it.

By time they had finished their conversation they had reached the staircase and started up them to the mountain. Of course they had to choose one of the coldest days as snow was falling gently, yet surely.

When they finally made it to the top, the sight in front of her made her heart break. Nyssa was standing there.

"I need to speak with this prisoner for a moment," she told the guards who didn't question the Heir to the Demon, instead taking the other prisoners away.

"Nyssa," she stated sadly.

"Sara what do you think you are doing?" She hissed angrily. "He _will_ kill you. There is no point in denying it, look what happened to Oliver."

The snow was starting to pick up around them, the air thinner up here. Sara looked to the ground and noticed the several blood stains from all the previous kills that had taken place.

"I know he will, but I have to try for my team."

Nyssa shook her head.

"Forget about the single combat, Sara. I can talk my Father into letting you live but the rest of them will have to be executed, please take my offer. Please, I am begging you, beloved."

The dark haired woman grabbed Sara's hands like she had so many times before.

"Nyssa the woman that I love is on my team. I'm doing this for her, too." She slowly untangled their hands, much to the Demon Heirs disappointment.

"I understand, beloved. But one request?" She asked the Captain hopefully. "Try to win," and with that, Nyssa walked away, their conversation over.

"Choose your weapon, Ta-er al-Sahfer," he said to Sara, gesturing towards the weapons. Her team stood behind them, heavily guarded and shivering. Sara decided on a simple katana. A guard walked up to her and she understood what he was about to do.

Ava watched in stunned silence as a guard walked up to Sara and cut her shirt off, leaving her girlfriend in her black boots, black Jean's and black sports bra.

She couldn't believe this is how the League operated and that Sara had been part of this for so long. Her heart was pumping out of her chest and she wanted nothing more than to be by her girlfriends side.

As her shirt was removed, none of the team was surprised to see the many scars that had covered Sara's back except for Charlie who let out a small gasp.

Sara walked towards Ra's, who was unarmed as he started every fight. He didn't need a weapon because he _was_ the weapon.

"Why isn't he armed?" Asked Ray worried, looking to the team for answers. No one had one, until Nyssa showed up out of nowhere.

"He does not have need of a weapon," she said casually. The team could see the spot where tears had fallen from her eyes and knew this was bad if Nyssa didn't think Sara would win.

"We need to do something!" Zari said, struggling against her chains hopelessly.

"There is no point, Sara has already chose her fate," Nyssa said sadly. "She is choosing to die for you, her family." She looked at the faces of the women on the team and was trying to decide on who was Sara's lover. It was quite obviously the tall blonde on the end, her sight never leaving Sara.

"I was eleven years old when I killed my first man," Ra's said suddenly as he stared down the edge of the cliff, effectively silencing everyone. "I remember the look on his face, when the light went out behind his eyes. Such a sudden change, almost imperceptible, between life and death."

Nyssa dutifully made her way to her fathers side, gently removing the cloak from his shoulders, revealing a monster of a man underneath with no scars. Ava was terrified for her girlfriend.

"And I felt ashamed," Ra's continued,"I had stolen from that man, the most precious gift of all - life. But I also felt something else. Pride, because I had taken up arms against someone who sought to do ill against my family. And I had realized what I had done was necessary."

Ra's finally turned around to face Sara, who held on tightly to her katana like it was her savior from him.

"You see, I had replaced evil, with death. And that is what the League exists to do, as you know Ta-er al-Sahfer. I have killed thousands of men. The world is better off this way," he approached Sara, one arm behind his back, the other by his side.

"You have taken your last life," she said confidently. Ra's stared at her, studying her.

"No, Ta-er al-Sahfer, you have lived your last day."

Ava had almost cried then and there as Nyssa returned to their side. The fight was about to start and the Director felt like she was dreaming. There's no way this is real. Sara can't die. She just can't.

"We are ready," said the Demon, stepping within striking distance of Sara. "Fight me, girl."

She took a step closer to him.

"You're unarmed," she stated, his gaze never leaving hers.

"I'll take your blade from you once you're done with it."

Sara made no move to strike an unarmed man, even though she knew what he was capable of. She was about to assume a fighting stance, when, faster than she could comprehend, a fist slammed into the side of her face, signaling the start of the fight.

She swung the katana towards Ra's repeatedly, each time he simply stepped out of the way of the blade, making it look like children's work.

As the team watched in silence, too scared for their Captain and friend to speak, their gut was telling them this was going to end badly. Try as they did, they couldn't break out of the chains, and even if they did, there were a dozen of the Leagues best members ready to cut them down. Too bad Constantine wasn't with them.

Ava watched as Sara attacked Ra's aggressively, trying to land at least one hit to no avail. The fight seemed like it was lasting forever, but in reality it had only been a couple of minutes. Ava had tears streaming down her face now as she watched her girlfriend fight for her life, and theirs.

It was as if Ra's knew her every attack before she even knew. The Demon took every opportunity he could to land a strike on Sara who was already beaten pretty decently, and he was still unarmed.

"You've got heart, Ta-er al-Sahfer, you always have. That's what made you one of my best members," said Ra's with a wicked smile. "It was as if you _enjoyed_ the killing, as if you _e__njoyed_ the Lazarus pit."

Sara hesitated as she listened to him, giving Ra's the opening to land a devastating kick to her ribs, disarming her in the process. Sara, having trouble breathing now, was on the defensive as Ra's swung and jabbed at her with the Katana.

"You've felt its powers as well, Ta-er al-Sahfer, the _bloodlust_. We have that in common," he continued taunting the blonde who was desperately trying to find an opening to land a strike.

"We have nothing in common, Ra's," she said defiantly as she finally landed a decent blow to his knee, but receiving a gash on her arm for it. She looked down to her bleeding arm and felt the familiar rush of her bloodlust before remembering to remain calm.

"That's it, Ta-er al-Sahfer, feed into the power," he said. "Need an example?" Ra's brought his hand up to the blade and swiped it across, blood dripping from his fingertips. Bringing his hand up, he smelled the blood, eyes closed, before opening them again. He looked even deadlier than he had before. "Feed in to your bloodlust," he growled, charging at the bruised and tired Sara.

Ava watched in horror as his swipes and jabs became faster, harder, and Sara was having a hell of a time of keeping away from them.

"I'm not a monster like you, Ra's. If I die, it'll be on my own terms, not as some-" she paused as she avoided getting her head chopped off, "pawn in your game."

"Oh trust me, Ta-er al-Sahfer, you're about to die."

No sooner than Ra's said it, he managed to swipe the blade across Sara's hip, effectively making her stumble a bit, clutching at her wound.

"Sara you have to keep fighting!" Yelled Ava with a shaky voice.

"Don't give up Captain!" Came Mick next, grunting as he wish he had his gun.

"It's just a scratch, Sara, I've seen ya taken bloody worse wounds, show 'im who's boss!" Yelled Charlie in support.

"Think of this like science!"

"Do NOT think of this like science Sara!" Nate screamed, sending glares at Ray.

"Think of it like a video game Captain!" Zari supplied instead.

Sara smiles at the words of her team. They had to have known this was going to end badly, yet they were still supporting her. Their encouragement gave her a newfound strength as she tried again and again to disarm Ra's, each time getting sloppier than the first, and each time, getting a cut for her troubles.

"Your time is near, Ta-er al-Sahfer," Ra's stated as he held a bloody and bruised Sara at sword point, backing her to the edge of the cliff.

"Just remember what my terms were," she said, having come to accept that this would most likely be the outcome of the fight a long time ago.

As Ra's listened to her words, Sara took this as her last opportunity and threw her elbow out, the blade flying up and away from her face. She reached out and swiped the blade from the Demon and twisted his arm behind his back, bringing him to his knees, much to the pleasure of her team.

The Demon quickly recovered and avoided Sara's attacks on him with the katana until she swung the blade in a downward arch towards his face. The team was filled with hope as they thought their Captain had finally won, when Ra's reached out and caught the blade an inch from his face, his other hand punching the blonde in the throat, her hands reaching there instinctively as Ra's turned the blade and it made it's way in her chest, just below her right breast.

Pain was all Sara knew at the moment. Her breath came out in small clouds now, as she struggled to see her team behind Ra's.

"Did you really think I was going to let a bunch of Time Travellers and their equipment walk out of here, Ta-er al-Sahfer?" He whispered in her ear, the blade still in her chest. "You're dumber than I thought," he said, ripping the blade out.

Ra's, still lost in his bloodlust, snarled at the girl before hitting her over the head with the flat of the blade, forcing her to her knees as she gasped for air, her hands not knowing where to go.

Sara distantly heard screaming from her team, and crying as she fell face first onto the ground, blood instantly staining the snow a deep red.

"B-but you a-agreed," she gasped, inhaling the freshly fallen snow on the ground as she struggled to look at the Demon next to her.

"I did, but this is too powerful of an opportunity to pass up, you must've known that Ta-er al-Sahfer," he said sadly, as if she were a disappointment. "Now get up," he commanded.

Sara, with every last bit of strength she had, made it back to her knees as she clutched at her chest, blood dripping from her mouth, her skin whiter than the snow, if that were possible.

"I'm glad that you choose to at least die with dignity," he said as he approached Sara with the sword once more. "I promised you I would show you no mercy, did I not?" He asked, moving behind her before throwing the sword into the ground.

Sara, for her part, could only focus on breathing through the pain and blood. She wasn't sure when, but she had found Ava's eyes staring at her, trying to give her any comfort possible. The Directors eyes were red with crying, the tear streaks still falling. Sara never looked away.

"Well I am delivering on that promise now," he said, removing Sara's hand from her chest wound, allowing blood to seep out even faster. She didn't pay attention as the Demon placed her arm behind her back before twisting painfully until it snapped. Her eyes were still on Ava, even as she screamed in pain, because _God __it hurt. _

Even as Ra's picked her up by her throat, her broken arm dangling uselessly by her side, her eyes didn't leave Ava. Not even as he dragged her to the drop of the cliff before throwing her down by the very edge, laying on her side, warm blood staining the new position immediately. She could see a bloody trail of where she was dragged.

"You survived longer than most," he said, picking up the katana again and pointing it at the blonde who couldn't find the engery to speak. "Don't be afraid, Ta-er al-Sahfer. Death comes for us all. We can only evade it for so long. Consider this and honorable exit."

The sun had just started to set as Ra's began a prayer in Arabic, one Nyssa knew he said to those who fought honorably before ending them.

The light from the sun had made it's way through the clouds and to Sara's frozen, bloody and bruised form, giving her a small bit of hope as her vision started to fade.

She saw flashes of her life before her very eyes. The first time she had died, she didn't experience this because she had died almost instantly. This time, however, she was dying slowly.

The first people she saw was Zari and Amaya watching a horror movie on the Waverider, dragging her to the couch to watch it with them.

Then she saw Ray and Nate each trying to cook something in the kitchen to determine who was the better chef, Ray relying on science for the win and Nate on his own skills, both begging Sara to be the judge.

After them it was her showing Mick how to wield the fire totem and hit moving targets instead of stand still ones.

The image changed to her last family Christmas, only a few years ago before her Father and sister had died. They all sat at the table as a happy family one last time, and Sara swore she could hear their voices calling to her to join them.

The last person though, was the one that really got her. It was the first time she met Ava at the Time Bureau, then taking down Roman's in a badass style. The image shifted to their first date, their first kiss, their first time. Everything she had ever shared with Ava, the good and the bad. She never thought she would feel as loved as she did in this very moment.

Sara's heart ached for those she was leaving behind, but she knew she would be joining her other friends and family soon, when she remember Ra's' words.

_D__id you really think I was going to let a bunch of Time Travellers and their equipment walk out of here, Ta-er al-Sahfer?_

She was ripped from her memories as Ra's placed his boot against her chest, before he kicked out hard, sending Sara into a free fall from the cliff. The last thing she remembers is watching as the ground got closer and closer to her, screaming in the distance. Then, nothing.


	2. The Note

Ava watched in stunned horror as Ra's al Ghul impaled her girlfriend with a sword. Sara's blue, pain filled eyes never left her own, not even as he then proceeded to take her arm behind her back and twist until everyone heard a sickening crack echo through the mountain.

Ava listened as Sara screamed in excruciating pain, the sound etched into her memory, surely to bring nightmares if they survive this. The Director had never felt such despair in her entire life as she watched the her love fall to the very edge of the cliff. By now, Ava and the rest of the Legends were pulling so hard against their chains, desperate to get to their Captain.

"Let us go or I swear to God I'll kill all of you pigs!" Mick roared as three members grabbed a hold of the brute, trying to keep him in place.

"Sara!" Zari yelled for her best friend, her too being held back by League members as she watched the blonde struggle to stay conscious.

"Can't we just talk about this?" Ray asked hopelessly as he started to join in the struggle to break free. "There's no point in this!"

"Oh, but there is," said Nyssa as she stood in front of the struggling Legends, her back to her beloved as she couldn't stand to watch anymore. "There is always a point to death, and my father knows that. By challenging him to this fight, Sara knew what would happen as well. My father has not lost in single combat in decades, and as much as I wish Sara would be the first," Nyssa choked on her words,"I am truly sorry for your loss," she stated simply, making her way to the stairs.

By now Ra's had placed his boot against Sara's chest, and Ava knew what was coming as she screamed. This couldn't be happening, it wasn't fair.

But it was happening.

Sara's eyes haven't left her own, not until Ra's kicked out with his foot, sending the love of her life, bloody, bruised, stabbed and broken, falling over the impossibly high mountain. Ava's world went numb as there were no eyes staring back from the now empty spot. It had quite literally felt as if her heart had been ripped in half. Sara was gone. She was dead. Ava's world was done, and she knew it as she fell to her knees, feeling as if all the air had left her, forgetting how to breath in the process.

The mountain top was dead silent now, except for the soft cries coming from Zari, Nate and Ray. Mick had tears streaming down his face as well, Ava noticed Charlie did too, even though the shapeshifter hadn't known Sara that long. The last thing she remembered before passing out was Ra's throwing the bloodied katana into the frozen ground, the same ground Ava's head met with not soon after.

The next time Ava woke she was expecting to be aboard the Waverider in the Captains room, snuggled next to Sara, this whole thing just a terrible, cruel nightmare. Instead she found herself back in the dungeon they were originally placed in, Sara's chains hanging in the middle of the team, as if to mock them of their failure to save their friend.

"Hey Ava," said Zari from beside her, eyes red and puffy from crying. "How are you feeling?"

When Ava just stared blankly at the hacker she took it as a sign that the Director didn't want to talk. She was mistaken, however, when a small and broken voice spoke.

"How did I get down here?" She asked softly, rubbing her head gently. She was trying not to think of how she just watched her girlfriend get brutally murdered but failing miserably. "And why haven't we been released? That was Sar-" her voice broke at the name of her love. "That was her _terms._ She said Ra's couldn't refuse them or something."

"Well that pig-head obviously didn't keep his promise and killed our Captain anyways," growled Mick from across the room. Ava almost started crying at this. Not only had Sara died to protect her team, but the terms weren't even being honored, so she died for nothing.

And now Ava was left alone to lead her girlfriends team out of here alive, because she refused to lose anyone else in this cursed place.

"What does he want from us?" She asked no one in particular as she sat up and put her back against the wall, the sounds of screaming filling the air.

"Well I believe that this 'Ra's al Ghul,'" Charlie said his name mockingly with a bit of disgust as well,"is a smart man. He wouldn't just let us go, we're from the future and we have future technology that could help him greatly."

"As much as I hate to agree, Charlie is right," Zari sighed, joining in the conversation. "He already has Rays suit, my totem and your time courier, which I doubt he knows what it is because it took me a week to figure out how to get through it without the password."

Ava would've smiled in any other situation like this if it weren't for the empty feeling inside of her without Sara. She was still having a hard time thinking about anything else.

"Well whatever we do, we can't tell him that we have a flying time spaceship," Ray added helpfully, almost choking on his words when he saw the Demon Head round a corner to their cell, flanked by guards and his daughter. Though Ava hated Nyssa with every fiber of her being for not saving Sara, she was surprised to see the Demon Heir looking so angry.

"You have a what now?" Ra's asked as he stepped into the unlocked cell, followed by his daughter. If looks could kill, Ray would have been disintegrated by all the glares he was receiving from his team.

"We aren't telling you anything, pig." Mick said matter of factly, spitting on the ground by Nyssa.

"Well no need, this is the League of Assassins after all, we'll just torture the information out of one of you," Ra's sighed nonchalantly. "There is no need to hide your anger towards me."  
"Oh don't worry, we aren't," Nate said, spitting at the Demon Head's feet as well.

"As I told your Captain before the fight started, it was a necessary evil. Someone who has been released from the League, not only once, but _twice, _should never come back. I did what needed to be done, and had taken up arms against someone who sought to do ill to my family, in this case the League."

"She didn't seek to do ill!" Ava burst out in anger, defending her dead lover. Nyssa looked at her curiously, head tilted to the side as if she were trying to study the Director. Ra's, however, interrupted her staring as he turned to Ava.

"I think we'll start with you," he said, gesturing for three members to grab her. Ava could vaguely hear the Legends shouting as she was dragged out of the room but she didn't care what happened to her at this point. She would find a way for them to escape but she wasn't even sure that's what she wanted for herself at this point, was it? Sara was dead. Returning to the Waverider would be pointless without her, or even the Bureau. What was the point of saving the world and timeline when she couldn't even save the ones she loved.

"Your thoughts will kill you," said a voice from beside Ava, startling her out of her head. Of course it was Nyssa, because who better to torture her than her girlfriends ex. Was Sara even still her girlfriend? She was dead, after all, Ava thought grimly. It didn't matter at this point, seeing as Ava might be soon too.

"Well my thoughts are all I have at this point," replied the blonde, clearly annoyed at the situation. They turned a corner and at the end of the hall was a single metal door with old blood on it. Well, they sure knew how to make a place look welcoming.

"There is no need to be angry at me, Miss Sharpe, though I do suppose you are correct. Your thoughts will not help you in here however, sweet one," Nyssa said, opening the door as they all entered into the dark room. Ava was adjusting to the dark finally when the lights turned on with a flicker, revealing a set of chains identical to the ones in her old cell that held Sara.

"I want to know why my girlfriend would ever date someone like you," Ava challenged the brunette as she went through the tools in a corner, the others chaining the tall blonde up tightly before hoisting her up till she couldn't touch the ground.

"Ahh, sweet one, you forget that _I_ am the one asking _you _the questions here."

Ava scoffed as she watched the Demon Heir decide on what tool she wanted to use first before settling on a simple knife, still bloody from the last time someone was in this room. She wasn't nervous for what was about to come, maybe it would make her feel something other than heartbreak and emptiness.

"Well why don't you ask your questions then?"

"Do not rush my art, Miss Sharpe. I do take pride in my ability to make people talk, in due time you shall be telling me all your secrets," Nyssa turned to her captive before she noticed the League members still in the room. "Leave," she commanded. Not a second later the three were on their way out the door, knowing better than to question the Demon Heir.

"Hmm, why didn't I try telling them that on the mountain where my girlfriend was brutally murdered by your father," Ava mused as Nyssa approached her, circling like she was her prey. The brunette cut Ava's sweatshirt off, leaving the Director in her white t-shirt and black pants. She was waiting for the pain to start but it never did. Instead, Ava was shocked to see Nyssa pull up a chair and sit in front of her, twirling the small knife between her fingers.

Neither women said anything. Nyssa sat in the chair staring at the blonde, thinking. Ava dangled in the air, freezing, as she replayed the fight on the mountain in her head over and over again, watching every bruise and cut Sara received. What she wanted to know was what Ra's had whispered in her girlfriends ear before he killed her. Seeing as she was still being stared at, Ava decided to close her eyes and focus on coming up with a plan on getting the rest of the Legends out of this hellhole.

"Did you treat her right?" A fragile voice spoke up, startling Ava out of her thoughts as she noticed how Nyssa had stopped twirling the knife in her hands.

"Of course."

"Did you protect her from the evils of this world?"

"Yes, up until your father."

"Did you make her laugh?"

"More like the other way around."

"And..." Nyssa hesitated. "Did you love her?"

"More than anything," she answered honestly, her voice broken from the sobbing and screaming she had done today. "Sara...she was my whole world. I've never loved anyone as much as I did her." A tear slipped down Ava's cheek which didn't go unnoticed by the assassin in front of her.

Nyssa stood up abruptly, the chair falling to the bloody ground as she marched up to Ava.

"On the count of three, scream as loud as you can. One-"

"Wait what-"

"Two-"  
"-are you-"  
"Three," Nyssa stabbed Ava in the shoulder with the blade, causing the blonde to scream anyways. The assassin removed the blade quicker than she put it there before grabbing the keys from her belt and unlocking Ava from her chains, causing the blonde to fall harshly to the ground, clutching at her shoulder in pain.

"Nyssa what the hell are you doing?" Ava asked, genuinely confused as to what was happening as new chains were put on her hands, effectively stopping her from putting pressure on the hole in her shoulder.

"Just go with it, sweet one. You will thank me later," was all Nyssa said before she opened the door, dragging the prisoner behind her. The three League members were dutifully waiting just outside the door. "This one was squirming in her chains when I stabbed her, I think I hit an artery. I must take her to the healer so she does not bleed out before I get all the answers I need. You three are watch the rest of our prisoners, I shall be back down later."

The members simply bowed to the Heir before disappearing around the corner.

"You are one crazy chick," Ava said as the two made their way towards what she could only assume were the stairs.

Ten minutes later Ava was lying in a chair as Nyssa wrapped her shoulder gently, no one else in the room.

"So what's the plan here? Because my team is still downstairs," Ava flinched when she called the Legends her team. If Sara were here she would have asked her to repeat that into a video camera.

"I shall leave you with a healer named Mateo. You will need to knock him out and escape through the East tunnels, they will be empty, I shall make sure of it. Once you are out get back to your ship, bring whatever backup you have, and get the rest of your team," Nyssa finished wrapping her shoulder, turning her back to the blonde. "You need to get her body, she deserves to be buried properly. And if you would not mind, I would like to come to the funeral?" She asked hesitantly.

"Why are you doing this?" Nyssa turned to face her.

"I am doing it for Sara. She chose to die for you and her friends in the basement. What my father is doing, backing out of single combat terms, is a new low. I am simply respecting my belov-" she cut herself off. "I am simply respecting her dying wish."  
Ava had to admit, this is not what she expected. She had expected Nyssa to torture her or the Legends until they gave up the location of the Waverider, but she was so wrong. Seeing how differently things were playing out, Ava finally understood how much Nyssa had loved Sara. The Captain almost never talked about her ex's and especially not about Nyssa, but now she understood why. The two of them had shared a deep connection, deeper than Ava ever knew, until now.

"I will get her body, Nyssa. Rest assured, Sara will have a proper burial, and if you would like to join us, feel free. It's the least I can do after all," Ava said with a smile, gesturing around them.

"I need to go now, but I will protect your team as much as possible, just please hurry." Ava simply nodded and Nyssa turned to leave.

Fifteen minutes later found Ava bursting through the East tunnels and into the snow covered forest with nothing but a t-shirt to protect her from the chill. She easily tracked down the direction the Waverider was parked at and started her long trek, desperately trying to stay out of her head, because whenever she closed her eyes she saw her girlfriend being pushing off the cliff. The left side of Sara's face was already bruised, even though the fight had lasted around only ten minutes, the right half of her face was covered in snow from where she fell. Cuts littered her arms and legs, blood dripping down her fingertips and down to her shoes. Ava saw the gaping hole in Sara's chest, heard her gasping for air as she tried to stay awake. She watched helplessly as he proceeded to break her right arm with a sickening crack, leaving it useless, not that it mattered for much longer as he dragged the almost dead women to the edge of the cliff, leaving behind a bloody trail.

Then she watched as he brought his boot to Sara's chest and kicked out, her girlfriend disappearing from her sight.

Before she knew it, Ava had run into something in front of her, no doubt the Waverider. It didn't take long for Gideon to determine that it was Ava at the bay door and soon enough she let the Director in.

"Director Sharpe, where is the rest of the crew? Are they...?" Gideon trailed off, the question obvious.

"Umm, most of the team is fine," Ava answered, not able to bring herself to break the news to the AI. "Where is Constantine?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

"He is currently in the library drinking Captain Lance's scotch, but if she asks, you didn't hear it from me," Gideon said with amusement in her voice. That's all it took for Ava to finally break down as she fell to her knees, hands coming to her mouth as silent sobs once again wracked her body. "Director Sharpe, is Sara...?" The AI trailed off once again. Ava nodded her head quickly to confirm what Gideon was hoping wasn't the case, as she sucked in a breath. "I am so sorry, Ava. I cannot even begin to imagine what you are going through right now. I will inform of the situation immediately. Is there...anything I can do for you?" Ava shook her head, not trusting her voice as she dropped against a crate.

Twenty minutes later John walked in to the bay to find Ava staring blankly at the wall.

"I heard what happened love, and I'm sure I'm the last person you want to see right now, but for what it's worth I am so sorry," he said sincerely as he slid down the crate to join Ava on the floor. "Are you sure she's dead though? Sara Lance had quite the habit of cheating death."  
"I watched as Ra's al Ghul put a sword through her chest and then proceeded to kick her off the side of a mountain John. I don't think Sara could cheat that."

John nodded slowly, letting the information sink in.

"Where is the rest of the team?"  
"They're still in the dungeon, I need to go get them but it's going to take more than me and you, and the Bureau isn't trained to go against a League of Assassins, and we're short staffed anyways with budget cuts. We are going to need some outside help," she said. John made a noise next to her that sounded somewhat like a hum.

"Why don't you go get your shoulder checked out by Gideon love, and I'll take care of getting some help," he helped Ava up off the ground. "While you're at it, get a change of clothes. You look bloody terrible, quite literally," he joked, hoping to get a laugh from the usually strict, uptight women. He was surprised when he saw the hint of a smile appear on her face, but it was gone just as quick as it appeared.

As Ava sat in the chair in the medbay the same image of Sara's death replayed in her head over and over, stuck on repeat and there was nothing she could do to get rid of the thought. Granted, it had just happened a couple of hours ago, so she could still be in shock, but it felt as if she were right back on top of that mountain.

"You are all good, Ava. Please take caution as the stitches could still pop open and keep in mind that I'm running out of medical supplies. Captain Lance forgot to restock the supplies as she was running late for her date with you last night."

Ava smiled at the thought of Sara hastily trying to get ready for their date after a mission and actually laughed as she remembered how the blonde showed up last night. Ava had decided it's been awhile since they went out on a nice date again and suggested it to Sara who instantly agreed. Needless to say, being the Captain of a timeship doesn't mean you can't show up late to something, and Ava found that out firsthand as she watched Sara running towards her, one heel on, balancing on one foot as she tried to get the other on.

"Ava?" John asked as he stepped into the medbay followed by a face she hadn't seen before except in a file.

"Hello ," the Director greeted as she stood up from the chair to shake his glove clad hand. He was dressed in his arrow suit, ready for a fight. Behind him stood his bodyguard and friend, John Diggle. Both had tear streaks fresh on their faces, so she could only guess that John had told them about Sara. Even further behind the men stood Amaya, who had changed out of her clothes from Zambasi and back in her Vixen suit. She too, had tears on her face. The last person was another familiar face who still had tears running down his cheeks. Jax stood by the door with his fists clenched in anger. "Thank you all for coming, I wish it was under better circumstances," Ava said sadly.

"Me too, Director Sharpe. Sara spoke highly of you," Oliver said. He felt terrible for the women in front of him who had fallen for Sara Lance. When Ava gave him a puzzled look he laughed. "She calls me and Felicity regularly to check on Laurel, well Earth Two Laurel. We are also friends, yes, shocker, Sara _does _have friends outside of this ship." Ava laughed weakly.

"Thanks for getting them John," she said to the blonde man whom she despised most of the time.

"Ehh, don't mention it love," he waved her off.

"Do you have her body?" Jax asked quietly, everyone wondering the same thing.

"No, not yet. She should be, um, she should be on the edge of the cliff," Ava looked to the ground. "The same one Ra's pushed you off of, ."  
"Please, call me Oliver," he said before turning to Diggle. "You still remember the way to the cells?" He asked.

"Yea man, of course I do. You're coming with us though aren't you?"

"No, I'm not." Ava's head snapped up at this. She was about to argue with him but he held his hand up. "I remember the cliff where I almost died, and I'm the best choice to go get her. I promise you I'll bring her back, Ava."  
The Director blew out a sharp breath, clearly not liking the idea of anyone but herself going to get her girlfriend. Then she thought of what Sara would want and knew that Oliver was right.

"Okay, okay. Amaya, John and Diggle, us four will go rescue the rest of the Legends, Jax I need you on the ship waiting for our arrival," Ava barked out orders, everyone nodding their head at the plan. They all left to get ready for the mission but Oliver stayed behind.

"Ava," he said softly, putting a hand on the blondes shoulder. "I promise you I'll bring her back to you. I'm going to go change out of the suit and put on something more suitable and leave now, so I have a head start before you guys infiltrate." With that being said, he left to join the others, leaving the Director alone once again.

Not wanting to get lost in her thoughts again Ava went to get changed and grab her weapons as well, joining everyone in the cargo bay, except for Oliver who had already left. \

"Ava are you sure you're good to fight love?" John asked worried, looking to her shoulder.

"I'm good. Besides I can't leave Sara's kids in the dungeons," cracked the blonde, making John give her a small smile.

"Thank you for making Sara happy," said Amaya from behind Ava.

"Of course, she made me happy as well, now let's get going. Jax you're on comms?" He answered with a thumbs up. "Okay Amaya and John, since you two are the most experienced I need you to find and rescue Michael Jackson. After you have him, one of you needs to escort him back to the Waverider and the other can try to catch up with Diggle and I here."  
"Sounds good to me love," he turned to the totem bearer. "You ready for this, not Charlie?" He asked, confusing Amaya who just shrugged.

"Okay, let's do this."

As Oliver hiked through the woods of Nanda Parbat memories came flooding back to him, mostly bad. He remembered the pain he was in until he was rescued and could only hope Sara didn't suffer. Moving quickly, he made good time as he reached the bottom of the mountain, the same spot he remembers that he fell. Stepping into the clearing and out of the woods the first thing he saw was all the blood, confirming to him that Sara's death couldn't have been painless.

The closer he got to the site, the faster his heart started hammering in his chest, to the point where he couldn't hear anything. The snow was soft under his feet, revealing to him that it had snowed heavily, and recently too. Stepping over the small crater of snow to where the body should be, Olivers heart dropped.

Where there should've been a body, instead lay a note addressed to the one and only Oliver Queen. Picking up the bloody piece of paper that was flapping in the wind, Oliver's fist tightened in rage.

_Dear ,_

_Isn't it funny how she went through the same thing? Well Sara Lance _

_has never been one to succumb to death, not even now. If you want _

_her back, go back to the place where it all started. _

_Yours truly_

_\- S.W. and D.D._


End file.
